In Ch. 19 we see the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, which we knew was coming. The city of Sodom saw the arrival of new visitors as an opportunity for homosexual gang rape. Wow, nice welcoming party Sodom. Sexual violence was just one of many of the town's problems it would seem. God had said he would spare the place if even 10 righteous people could be found. Apparently they didn't exist, so he gets Lot and his family out of there. This is the chapter where Lot's wife looks back and she turns into a pillar of salt. They were warned not to look back, but we kinda see that Lot and his family were having a hard time leaving their adopted home of Sodom, despite its immorality. Then the very sick and wrong part happens when Lot gets really drunk in a cave and both of his daughters sleep with him. SAY WHAT? Crazy. God saves you and you repay Him by having drunken incest? I mean, wow. Idk. His daughters then have children from this and it's all very soap operaish.
Something else interesting in Ch. 20 would be that, guess what, Abraham plays the "my wife is my sister" card, AGAIN!
Ch. 21 Is the promised child of Abraham and Sarah (the one Sarah laughed about earlier). Isaac is born :)
Ch. 22 Is the classic story of Abraham being tested by God. This is when God tells Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac and at the last minute stops Abraham and provides a ram instead.
Ch. 23 Sarah dies at the age of 127. I am starting to see how the ages do get closer and closer to the 120 that was mentioned earlier. So, it does seem like my question was answered later in the reading because it does seem to be just a gradual occurrence.
Ch. 24 I bookmarked the part talking about oaths being made by putting your hand under another man's thigh. I found that slightly intriguing. There isn't much said about it. It must have just been the custom at the time. This is also the chapter that a wife for Isaac is found (Rebekah).
Ch. 25 Abraham dies.
Ch. 26-29 Just have to point out that Issac follows in the footsteps of his father Abraham in this reading by CALLING HIS WIFE HIS SISTER. I told you this reading was interesting. Continuing in the reading we see Issac and Rebekah have two sons, Jacob and Esau. First Jacob cons Esau out of his birthright and then later Jacob and his mother work together to deceive Esau AND Issac so that Jacob is the one to receive his father's blessing, not Esau. Really Esau always seems to get robbed. He does what he should, and he tries to please. He even marries one woman specifically to make his father happier it would seem. I think the only "crime" here is that he was so concerned with his feelings of hunger that he was willing to give up his birthright, letting his hunger trump things of lasting value. But still, it all seems rather unfair. Jacob was quite the con man and liar it looks like. But, I guess he does have to suffer a little of that soap opera drama that is going around. He gets tricked as well, and has to put up with a very jerkface father-in-law. Long and short of it though, I think both Jacob and Esau end up pretty good. Sometimes it doesn't make sense to us why someone is chosen, they just are. God often uses flawed people to accomplish His work.
Okay, Wednesday's reading was Genesis 30 through 31
Tonight, Genesis 32 through 34
Tomorrow (Friday) Genesis 35 through 37
And since I probably won't get to blog on Friday, Sat will be reading Genesis 38 through 40
Night Night.
EDIT: Additional notes 8/7/12:
Halley's Bible Handbook had some commentary about Ch 21-22 where Isaac is to be offered up. Here is what they had to say, "The offering of Isaac was a foreshadowing of the death of Christ. A father offering his only son (Isaac was the "only son" of the promise 21:12). The son dead for three days (in Abraham's mind, v. 4). A substitution. An actual sacrifice. And this took place on Mount Moriah, the very same place where 2000 years later God's own Son was offered. Thus it was a foreshadowing, here at the birth of the Hebrew nation, of the grand event the nation was born to bring about."
MIND BLOWN. Jesus is also like the ram, taking the place of the death that is to be ours. It was goose bump inducing when I found out both events took place at the same location. I'm not sure why I had not known that before, but it was a cool little discovery. Just another example where the old testament points to Jesus.
Also, when Jacob has the ladder dream, the book mentions: "The ladder is a hint that the promises will culminate in something that would bridge heaven and earth. Jesus said that He was that Ladder (John 1:51) and the only Mediator between God and men (1 Timothy 2:5)." Freakin' cool.
EDIT: Additional notes 8/7/12:
Halley's Bible Handbook had some commentary about Ch 21-22 where Isaac is to be offered up. Here is what they had to say, "The offering of Isaac was a foreshadowing of the death of Christ. A father offering his only son (Isaac was the "only son" of the promise 21:12). The son dead for three days (in Abraham's mind, v. 4). A substitution. An actual sacrifice. And this took place on Mount Moriah, the very same place where 2000 years later God's own Son was offered. Thus it was a foreshadowing, here at the birth of the Hebrew nation, of the grand event the nation was born to bring about."
MIND BLOWN. Jesus is also like the ram, taking the place of the death that is to be ours. It was goose bump inducing when I found out both events took place at the same location. I'm not sure why I had not known that before, but it was a cool little discovery. Just another example where the old testament points to Jesus.
Also, when Jacob has the ladder dream, the book mentions: "The ladder is a hint that the promises will culminate in something that would bridge heaven and earth. Jesus said that He was that Ladder (John 1:51) and the only Mediator between God and men (1 Timothy 2:5)." Freakin' cool.
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